Toy



B. BARNETT Dec. 2, 1941.

TOY

Filed April 24, 1940 Inventor Patented Dec. 2, 1941 UNITED STATES PATET OFFICE" TOY Bert Barnett, Newark, N. J. I

Application April 24, 1940, Serial No. 331,481

1 Claim.

Thi invention appertains to new and useful improvements in toys and more particularly to a toy of the catapult and projectile type.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a catapult-projectile type toy wherein the projectile is attached in a manner to the catapult to permit ready retrieving of the projectile.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a toy of the catapult-projectile type wherein the catapult is in the form of a fork having the prongs thereof bridged to define an opening within the confines of the prongs, and wherein an elastic line with the projectile thereon is attached to the bridge and adapted to be projected through the opening defined by the prongs and bridge member.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a toy of the above stated character in which the projectile can be used to shoot at targets placed on a table or other tructure.

Other important objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to the reader of the following specification.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the toy with the projectile about to be shot at a target.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the toy.

Referring to the drawing wherein like numerals designate like parts, it can be seen that numeral 5 generally refers to the catapult while numeral 6 denotes the projectile. A target generally referred to by numeral 1 may consist of a piece of cardboard or the like 8 having a bullseye 9 thereon and a suitable support or brace member I II at the rear side thereof, the object in using the projectile 6 with the target I being to knock the target over. The target may rest on a table top or the like II.

The catapult consists of a fork involving a handle formed body I2 provided with the upwardly diverged arms or prongs [3 which at their upper reduced ends are formed with obliquely disposed slots [4 for receiving a rubber band or bands [5. The rubber band bridging the free end portions of the prongs 13 serves in conjunction with the prongs to define an opening l6 through which the projectile 6 is to be catapulted. Knotted or otherwise secured to the intermediate portion of the band, as at I1, is an elongated elastic member l8 having the projectile 6 at its outer end, this projectile 6 being preferably a rubber ball.

To operate the toy, the operator will sight through the deep crotch gulley l9 after tensioning the elongated member l8, holding the projectile 6 in one hand. When the projectile is let fly, a true aim will cause the projectile to pass through the opening l6 defined by the prongs l3 and bridging band l5 toward and perhaps hit a target 7.

Obviously, the toy can be used by a child without a target I just to determine, especially in competition with other children how many times he or she can project the ball 6 through the opening l6 by tensioning and releasing the elongated elastic member [8.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed hereinafter.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A device of the character described comprising a fork including a handle and prongs disposed therefrom, said prongs having slots in the edges thereof, an endless elastic band seated in said slots to provide double flights spanning the space between the prongs, an elongated elastic element having one end attached to the intermediate portion of both flights of the band between the prongs, a projectile attached to the other end of the elongated elastic element, said elastic band spanning the space between the prongs at a position adjacent the free ends of the prongs to define a space within the confines of the prongs through which the projectile can be catapulted.

BERT BARNETT. 

